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This is because their is no PG and D'antoni having Melo be a point forward as well hasn't helped. It was a decent idea I'll admit it, however Melo as a consistent point forward is a failed experiment in my book. All it does is give Melo more iso opportunity with the whole court zeroing on him. Also with no one else hitting most games are 3 vs 5 at crunch time. The knicks need Baron, they need a new coach, and they need to feed the ball inside more.

It is AI & Melo all over again. 2 high scoring, ball stopping superstars who don't play D. This is not going to cut it.

How many games have they played together? 50+? 50+ games and absolutely no chemistry between them.

...Why do people keep saying this?

STAT and Melo played fine last year after the trade.

STAT averaged 23.5 PPG on 49.1% shooting after the trade last year. STAT torched the Celtics in game 1 and we would've won that game if it weren't for that ******* Kevin Garnett tripping Toney Douglas and getting away with it.

STAT and Melo both looked good last year after the trade stat-wise. Obviously they didn't do great right off the bat because of chemistry. But you know why they were able to play OK down the stretch?

Chauncey Billups. They had a veteran PG who could give them direction. Tommy Dee even said that Chauncey Billups did way more coaching in the playoffs than Mike D'Antoni did.

The Knicks don't need a D'Antoni style PG. Or even a good PG. They just need...ANY PG. ANY point guard. Chris Duhon could facilitate this offense. This has to be the easiest offense in the NBA to facilitate, we just need someone who actually plays the point for it to happen.

STAT is not a dominant ball handler who creates his own shot off the dribble. He needs to be getting the ball in motion, close to the basket, where his physical strength and the fact that he gained 20 lbs of muscle will allow him to dunk over anybody. He's shown flashes of that ability this season, he just can't do it consistently.

Melo is a good player who can pass the ball but you can just tell by his body language - once in a while if they run a set play, he'll pass the ball out, but if he's got his mind set on making a shot, he's making the shot regardless of whether or not anybody's open. Unlike LeBron, he does not do a great job of finding open teammates, and I'd say he's a more selfish player on the court.

What these guys need is someone who is large and in charge and has a track record of success as a point guard in the NBA. Toney Douglas and Iman Shumpert do not have the credibility to direct Melo and Amar'e. But Baron Davis does, and let's hope he does it well.

A real lack of confidence has set in on this team. Melo and STAT are 'lead by example guys' all the way, and they're not leading by example. Out of the two of them though, STAT's play has been esp. disappointing. He's a different player than last yr -- where's the explosion finishing his drives? Where's the conviction with his moves? And where the F is the shot-blocking presence he showed last yr??? I mean shot-blocking's all effort, no? Last yr at this time, he was up over 2 blocks per, showing great effort in this category (which is why I refused to call him a bad defender last yr). This year I believe he's right around .5 blks last I looked, maybe under by now...That kind of dip in production just isn't acceptable. And you can see it --- every damn game, there are opportunities abound where he's just not challenging the same type of shots he was challenging last year...Never a great defender by any stretch of the imagination but come on, last year he was a legit rim protector...This year that element hasn't been there at all...I mean what's up with this guy?? Last yr at this time they were chanting 'MVP' for this guy at the Garden --- now a year later, he looks like a 2nd-string big man...I mean is he hurt, out of shape, doesn't have his legs yet, what?? I'm calling this dude out right now --- Amar'e, you need to play better my dude!!! Play with more passion, enthusiasm and force!!! Play like the beast we all know you can be!!! And go back to being the leader you were last year. This is still your team!!

I agree with everything SSj4 had to say --- his post was right on the money. D'Antoni's funny man --- here I am defending this dope saying Jeremy Lin's probably not showing it in practice every day enough to warrant a serious look and then the guy goes down to the DL and lights up the joint with a triple double in his first game. I mean WTF --- now I believe this kid should've gotten more PT all along...Shump has talent but his confidence has taken a real hit lately and he's playing like a rookie (still playing GREAT defense at least--I admire the effort there)...And Douglas continues to play like ass --- I just don't see the facination with this guy. TD has zero PG skills and is an overrated player on offense AND defense. Period the end...Confidence is also a problem with this guy too btw...How can so many players (including our stars) all play with such little confidence, all at the same time???? It's sickening to watch every night.

My biggest things so far:

(1) We need to get Amar'e straightened out one way or another. He deserves more heat than Melo at this point imo. He's just not the same player he was last yr.

(2) D'Antoni might seriously have to go. We might need a new voice. Everything guys are saying is true: the defensive switching is downright AWFUL. That might be the biggest thing...And there's been no adjustment so far with it at all....It's to the point where I guarantee it's up on the blackboard in ever opposing teams' locker room before every game: 'They will switch like crazy -- wait for the switch, find the mismatch and ATTACK IT.' We're way overplaying it with the damn switching on ever play. It's just not an effective strategy at all. That and the fact that he's coaching a team that has ZERO confidence right now. Come on man--horrible teams are coming into the Garden and not only beating us, but TOYING WITH US. It's downright embarrassing...And all the other things: not calling TOs when they're needed to regroup or stop the other team's momentum; not getting on his stars, only all the other guys; not playing Jorts enough (that kid's an effective player that should be playing more---no way Jeffries should be taking any of his mins); was never willing to give guys like Lin and Jordan a serious look; doesn't run any set plays at all; hasn't been adaptable at all, etc...All these grips people have been pointing out are legit...I just don't think we need this guy to win in this town. He's not doing a thing to help his cause or the team. Not getting nearly as much as he should outta this roster...His whole gameplan is flawed, top to bottom.

(3) We need a PG. Like SSj4's saying --- gimmie any capable PG while we wait for Davis. I've been saying it all along --- #1: recall Jeremy Lin and give that kid some serious burn early on in the game and see what he can do. Then we'll all know for sure. And if he can't handle it, replace him with another cheap option. Rinse and repeat...Do it until we find a guy that sticks and can do the job..It's something that we should've been doing weeks ago.. There's a ton of high reward/no risk PG talent out there that we could add w/o impacting the cap or anything. Go find a guy. Can't even fault management -- they handed MDA Jeremy Lin and he never played him. Play him and let him fail, then you'll know. Then you go back into Grunwald's office and say, 'gimme someone else.' No, instead Mike never gives him a shot, then in his 1st DL game, he goes down and lights it up...Not acceptable. Kid should've been playing all along..It's not like we have better options. Shump's a rookie and is playing like a rookie, TD's trash and Bibby's not much more than a spot-up guy in the Eddie House mold at this stage of his career...Why wasn't Lin ever given a shot? Don't you at least try this kid out and let him prove he's not the answer??? Esp. considering our PG spot is in such disarray?? Rediculous already.

Yeah ah ha
you know what it is
STAT and Melo, STAT and Melo
STAT and Melo, STAT and Melo

Yeah ah ha, you know what it is
everything I do, I do it big
Yeah ah ha, screaming thats nothin
when I pulled out of the lot, thats stuntin
reppin my town when you see me you know everything
STAT and Melo, STAT and Melo
STAT and Melo, STAT and Melo
I put it down from my whip to my diamonds
STAT and Melo, STAT and Melo
STAT and Melo, STAT and Melo
STAT and Melo, STAT and Melo

We're gonna win a championship now with 2 legit superstars! Hell, we even got Tyson Chandler man! Daaaaaamn, nobody can stop us now! This is gonna be easy, Miami who? Look at Chicago, they only got Rose, they ain't no match for us! The Knicks are back, Finals here we come! STAT is legit.

Could it be Chandler's big man presence in the paint that has gotten to Amar'e? Last year, our Center was Ronny Turiaf, a guy that easily got out of the way for Stoudemire to score. Now with Chandler down low, Amar'e has to take more outside shots and it's not pretty. He's averaging like 17 and 7 a game now. I still have faith though.